Giving to UNB

Anglia Ruskin University

Cambridge Campus, E Rd, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK

Anglia Ruskin University was awarded university status in 1992. Today, with a student population of 31,000, it is one of the largest universities in the East of England, and a large provider of part-time education.

Students are on courses leading to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as to a range of professional qualifications. In addition to being one of the most significant suppliers of nurses and teachers to the professions, they offer an ever expanding range of contemporary courses designed to meet the needs of the individual and the requirements of a knowledge-based economy.

The main campuses at Cambridge and Chelmsford attract students not only from the East of England but in increasing numbers from mainland Europe and from further afield. In addition, our University has an extensive network of contacts with institutions throughout the world, delivering courses in countries as far removed as Malaysia and Trinidad.

Each year BUTEX awards a number of scholarships to students studying abroad for either a semester or for a whole academic year. The value of each scholarship is £500 and will be paid to the winners once they have arrived and registered at their host university. Apply here.

Testimonial

Mary-Margaret Smith, Business Administration, on exchange in Winter 2015.

Where did you live when you studied abroad?On campus accommodation

What were the easiest and most challenging moments when you arrived to your host destination?How did you overcome the challenges? The easiest moments were meeting new people. There are multiple opportunities to meet new people through frosh week, orientation, campus sports, classes, clubs etc. The most challenging moments were learning where things are at in the new city, what are the best shops, clubs, where the bank is located, etc. You do not know anyone in the entire country so it's easy to feel alone when you have questions. The Uni gave a map of the town during an orientation session, I ended up walking around the town for an hour lost because I didn't want to look like a tourist with a map. I quickly learned all the short cuts throughout the town after that! Another issue was learning the currency and what certain coins are worth. I forced myself to use my coins instead of easily handing the cashier a clearly marked bill.

Which courses did you take, and which was the most enjoyable? Why? I took various Human Resources courses: Employment Relations, Change Management, International and Comparative HRM, and Improving Organizational Performance. My favourite was International and Comparative HRM because it was from the perspective of England's business world and culture, and how England sees the rest of the world.

Food you miss the most and could not get abroad? RANCH DRESSING!!

What was your favorite experience when you were abroad? My favourite experience while abroad was the opportunity to travel to other countries, I became good friends with two students from Germany, and ended up travelling there and staying with them for a weekend in Heidelberg, Germany.

What was the biggest difference in culture that you experienced while abroad? Drinking culture in England is definitely different from Canada. I was surprised when they would host casual events at the university, such as informational sessions, they would often have wine along with their tea and coffee on the refreshment table.

What surprised you the most about your time abroad? What surprised me the most about my time abroad was how easy it is to travel around to different cities within England. The public transport is incredibly efficient and reliable.

Do you have any advice to future students, who may wish to study abroad? My advice to any future students who would like to study abroad is attend every event the school offers. Take risks, a comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there. If the school events do not seem interesting to you, go anyway, and try new things. You will meet lots of new people and maybe develop new hobbies! Try to stay out of your room as much as possible. Keep in touch with your friends back home, but make sure you do not have your heart back home as well, you are only in this new country and have these experiences for a limited time!!

“I strongly believe that the year I spent abroad played a major role in my acceptance into Medical School. The experience was worth it. It changed my life, allowed me to take in-depth medical courses that I would otherwise not be able to take at UNB, exposed me to many different cultures and traditions, and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I am a better person and will be a better doctor because of this experience.”

Laura Maxwell, BA/HIST 2010, on exchange in Winter 2008.

“I learned incredibly valuable soft skills such as communication, independence, social skills, adaptability, an understanding of different cultures. The soft skills I learned helped me make friends when I moved to a new city, they helped me in job interviews, and they helped me land my current job where communication skills, adaptability, and an outgoing personality are highly valued.”

"Having never flown before, I must say that a trans-Atlantic flight was quite an experience in itself. Ironically, the only moment of anxiety came during my connection flight from Fredericton to Montreal, before even leaving Canada. It is here, aboard a tiny airplane in the middle of a furious snow storm that I thought to myself “maybe I won’t miss this weather after all.” As it turned out, the plane landed adequately enough, and once I transferred onto a jet (about three times the size of the previous plane) it began to sink in that I was really going to England, the ‘Mother Country.’

I don’t know if I can accurately describe my first impressions of England, for the ‘jet lag’ had set in quite heavily by the time I landed at Heathrow, as I eventually made my way to Cambridge by train. All the stereotypical imagery was there: grey skies and gray buildings. I took small consolation in the fact that the cab driver hadn’t told me off, as I was clearly behaving like an idiot, unable to handle a suitcase or perform basic motor skills like opening doors, etc. But once recovered, I set out to explore Cambridge with some other international students that I met shortly after my not so triumphant arrival.

Everything about this place was exciting. The fact that most of the buildings pre-dated the discovery of Canada by hundreds of years was a difficult concept for me to wrap my head around. Also, the fact that there were more pubs on one street than in my entire hometown (Bathurst) was a delightful discovery to say the least. And of course, there was the novelty of being an ‘international student’ and receiving special treatment from the wonderful staff of Anglia Ruskin University during the first few days of school. Studying in Cambridge was, in short, a blast. As a history student, I had the chance to study courses with more of a European perspective. I’ve also had the chance to visit places I’d only read about in books, like London, Paris and Amsterdam. Truly, this experience has served to wet my appetite for further travel. I guess the only let down, I must say (as a sports fanatic), was the lack of hitting or physical contact in football (soccer). Football fans, however, seem like they could make mince meat out of most hockey players… at least hockey players from Toronto.

Finally, I have to say that this experience allowed me to reflect more strongly on what it means to be ‘Canadian.’ “Are you from America?” was the most frequently asked question in my travels, and I always ensure the inquirer that no apology is necessary. Indeed, it is hard to pin down a ‘Canadian identity’, or to speak of ‘Canadian values.’ But for me being Canadian means working hard, enjoying life, maintaining an open mind, and above all else, being polite. And so, I would like to say that British hospitality was wonderful, that England is a great country, and that I will not forget it. And on a joking note, if people confused me for an American, then I hope they confused me for a polite one."